Hey guys. looks like everyone up by me is starting to haul out for winter. I so far haven't gotten around to doing much other than clearing out the scuppers and found a split hose. I wrapped it with good ole duct tape until I get the shrink wrap over it. I'd feel more comfortable knowing the water is going to stay out of the hull if it rains on the deck and I have it all apart and it lets me work at my own backwards pace. I fired it up and it smoked a good amount on startup. i'm sure the rings in the #8 cylinder are most likely toast from my water bottle experience. I wish my engine hatches had a gutter channel around them since they get a lot of moisture into the engine compartment. Has anyone tried to remedy this problem? It looks like some of my hatch backing strips need to be replaced soon also. I was thinking about maybe redoing everything with aluminum C channel and plumb it into the rear scuppers and putting some sort of rubber split hose on top of it to keep the wear and vibration down.

Hello ALL: JimInFla: Did the stress on the swim platform from the ladder cause the wood to split , it looks like there would be a lot of stress on that area because the ladder is bolted so close to the end with no extra support. I am going to put a ladder on my platform and plan on putting it in the middle with a support pcs. undder, to spread out the stress over a bigger area. Just a thought!!

Great job on the repair, have you ever used the 2 step cleaner for teak?? My platform looked terrible until I used the 2 step cleaner kit and a scrubbrush, it was like night and day, and now I just oil it .

BERG: I had the same problem with rain getting into the eng. comparment via the hatch covers, what I did was purchase a large rubber ribbed mat that covers both hatches with an overlap about 4" all around, this stopped any water getting in their.

Obviously they put the ladder too close to the edge. Either that or the previous owner bought the wrong size swim platform. Or both! I am considering not screwing it into the platform, but maybe using some sort of an adhesive on the end and a screw on the (inboard) side. I'm worried that if I do drive a screw down in there, it may undo all that gluing that I did, especially since it is so close to the edge.

In looking at it, I also think there may have been a piling or dock that made heavy contact with the platform that cracked it too, making a bad situation (a screw too close to the edge) worse. I was just thrilled that most all of the wood was still there and that I could put the puzzle back together again.

Believe it or not, that was the first time I had seen the platform without it's canvas cover. I hit the whole width of the platform with 220 sandpaper to knowck off what was left of a really crappy varnish job that someone had done. The teak was actually in better shape that I expected and I am considering leaving the canvas off. If I go that route I will probably use a two step cleaner and try and get the grain / finish to come up. My family had a 1958 Matthews double cabin when I was a kid. My Dad was always battling grey teak. But when it's done right, man it looks good!

Jim: I am in process of sanding my swim-platform. Have only the top-side done now. I used 80 grit, with orbiting (rectangular-shaped) power sander. Will next sand with a finer grade of sandpaper. The "ridges" are nearly gone, need to smooth-down wood a bit more to make it nice.

When I am ready to use teak oil, what brand would you suggest? Presently, have tried WATCO brand. Problem is the wood turns dark. Teak I have seen looks lighter, than my dark. I'm not sure what a teak wood swim-platform SHOULD look like. Help??

I'm in the same "boat"...had to say it! I've been researching on what to do with my teak. So far, I'm either going with Sikkens Cetol Natural Teak, or possibly honey teak (www.signaturefinish.com). I was reading somewhere about taking varnish, thinning the 1st coat 50%, then the second coat 25% in order to get the varnish to soak, then applying and sanding multiple coats. I still haven't figured out what direction I'm going. I'm leaning toward the glass/mirror finish varnish. But....one thing that sticks in my mind is my fathers old boat. He had a wooden Oconto Cruisers, I'll never forget the painfullness of the sanding and prep work, and half way through the 1st summer with it, the varnish started to peel. That thought, makes the Cetol or Honey Teak look that much more appealing! So Jim...what's it gonna be? Someone has to go 1st!

By the way Jim, looks like your doing a great job on your new purchase, can't wait to see it wet sanded and buffed.

Flybridge, I'd love to tell you that I am an expert, but I'd be lying.
My Dad always used Te-Ka fo cleaning teak and then just Teak oil to
maintain it.

Rick, I soooo know your pain. I was beginning to wonder if
Mahogany was a good choice for boats when I was a kid. It seemed
like it constantly needed scraping and sanding.

One thing to consider though. If you make the surface slick and
smooth with varnish it could be a safety issue. I remember that
when varnished wood is wet, it can be like ice. Just a thought... if
you do decide on varnish, a couple pieces of advice: 1. Buy the best
brush you can afford. 2. More thin coats are way better than 1
thick one and 3. Its all about the prep. Any imperfection in the
prep work will be magnifed times ten when done.

My Cat goes back in the water tomorrow so she may stay natural
for awhile.

I came across a guy in Minnesota who restored all the teak on his 280 Catalina. He did everything but the swim platform saying it needed to stay natural for safety. The boat next to mine at the marina has his varnished, but has non skid tape on it for safety. My thoughts are, oil the platform and steps, varnish the rest/anything that you won't be stepping on. They might not quite match, but because of their locations nobody will notice. My biggest pain is going to be the side panels by the helms seat. I believe it's teak, but the previous owner cut a big hole in it, probably for a stereo. I'm going to try to fix it, maybe cover the panels with some type of teak laminate if there is such a thing.

Jim HH, will be at Ft. Lauderdale Show with the boss, Bonnie and maybe a friend or 2 on friday. Son in law and daughter have a booth there, Canvas And Towers, keep an eye out for them, stop by and say hello, tell 'em I sent you.

To anyone who uses Te-Ka, be advised. It is a great product for occasional use. However, part one (acid) will eat out the soft grain of the teak. Try pressure washing if possible. Bleach and soap with a stiff brush works. Purple degreaser works also. let dry, dry, dry, before oiling or varnishing, otherwise mildew under finish will happen. I varnish all teak xcept bridge ladder, Pettit Flagship Varnish my choice. Trust me, I have tried them all including Imron Clear. Nite, All, H.

Hello All: Well I just got a call from a guy here in Mass. who has restored the CC Metal Emblems(CHRIS STAR CRAFT) before ( the large ones from port and stab. side and the small ones from the stern )and will be restoring mine , I will let you all know how they come out, he has a lot of exper. with pot metal castings. I will have him do my shifter next as it is also a cast lever and looks to be the same metal. I was thinking of recovering my instr. panel, the alum. looks crummy and I was thinking of eather having a new one made out of stainless or just covering the old one with a vinal wood grain ?? I will take picture of the way it looks now and post it as soon as I can for any suggestions. My other project is the head door frame, the bottom part under the door is shot, I was thinking of cutting out the shot part and replacing with new wood, instead of replacing the whole panel because the rest of the panel is fine.

hello all, well the engine is in ! Should be all hooked up by Saturday ! Boat show was great today. I work for an audio video company so we have a booth there . A lot of driving for me . I so hear you Jim, Jacks is far . Jimfla you are always welcome to come to Port St Lucie and for our annal Florida Chris Craft tie up. I live in Port st Lucie now and drive to Fort Lauderale for this boat show, long ride. attached are two motor pictures of my brand new 350 and our boat show booth .

Hey Capt Steve Hope to see you there . I will be there again Friday 10ish to 3 ish . I have to leave and pick up Abby at school. We are in the 400- 500 tent The Experts . Or you can always call me . Look forward to seeing you. Happy Hour III is coming back to life . He should have the motor set by friday or saturday.

Great looking vessel. There's a certain solidness that comes across in that shot of the aft section.. Classic line....never get tired of admiring our cats!

Jiminfla,

I'm seeing your ladder's securing base as pretty small. the bolts fasten to only one platform slat. It may be kind of hard to see, but the mounting flange on our ladder (portside) is a SS rectangular piece long enough to extend to another slat inboard, spacifically designed for adding strength. If you can fabricate a SS extender bracket bolted to the your ladder's original base with the purpose of enlarging it to reach an adjacent inboard slat - things might work better? I can't tell if the idea would work or not, but you might be able to eyeball it and see.

Capt's heavy's post concerning teak cleaning is well taken. I've applied the 2 part cleaner system- the trick is leaving the acid on for only for a very short time! It's my opinion that one of a dive platform's functions is to provide a non-slip surface- meaning leaving the surface natural with an occational application of teak oil.

One tempting project is to install a modern, wider platform complete with removable gates- The other thing is a tramsom gate. Not sure if that would comprimise the transome's strength. Tempting...and expensive.

The only way I see to really mitigate water ingress thru the engine hatches is canvas. Either as a steep angled, rib-supported arrangmernt for winter storage, a tenting design extending from the windshield to the transome. Or, a bimini, preferably with full side panels for summer showers or two season states. The flat cockpit floor in Catalinas is a two edged sword- very user friendly but not the best for drainage- one of the comprimises CC made. One I can live with.

Great looking vessel. There's a certain solidness that comes
across in that shot of the aft section.. Classic line....never get tired
of admiring our cats!

Jiminfla,

I'm seeing your ladder's securing base as pretty small. the bolts
fasten to only one platform slat. It may be kind of hard to see, but
the mounting flange on our ladder (portside) is a
SS rectangular piece long enough to extend to another slat inboard,
spacifically designed for adding strength. If you can fabricate a SS
extender bracket bolted to the your ladder's original base with the
purpose of enlarging it to reach an adjacent inboard slat - things
might work better? I can't tell if the idea would work or not, but
you might be able to eyeball it and see.

Capt's heavy's post concerning teak cleaning is well taken. I've
applied the 2 part cleaner system- the trick is leaving the acid on
for only for a very short time! It's my opinion that one of a dive
platform's functions is to provide a non-slip surface- meaning
leaving the surface natural with an occational application of teak oil.

One tempting project is to install a modern, wider
platform complete with removable gates- The other thing is a
tramsom gate. Not sure if that would comprimise the transome's
strength. Tempting...and expensive.

The only way I see to really mitigate water ingress thru the
engine hatches is canvas. Either as a steep angled, rib-supported
arrangmernt for winter storage, a tenting design extending from the
windshield to the transome. Or, a bimini, preferably with full side
panels for summer showers or two season states. The flat cockpit
floor in Catalinas is a two edged sword- very user friendly but not
the best for drainage- one of the comprimises CC made. One I can
live with.

Nite all, Diver

That's a great idea, I may have to look into that!

I had the thought about the transom door too. Something about
taking a saw to my transom just freaks me out!

Hey, Gang. Lone Wolf, that's a great looking 251 cat. With the price of gas these days, wish I had my 76 cat 251 again.

Jim HH will be at the show Fri. Will look you up for sure.

Rick P. give the flagship varnish a try. Fast buildup, great color and I can get almost a year out of it in Florida heat and weather. I've tried a lot of others, know people that use Awlgrip Clear, I like the Flagship. Dries quickly too. Mineral spirits for cleanup. Tip from a pro I know: Clean brush in lacquer thinner first, then mineral spirits. Brush will last long time. I use a corona 2 inch brush. Not cheap, but will last and do a great job. Nite, All, H.

hey gang, I've been reading and enjoying all the posts, everyones cats/projects look great. I am still ok with selling but that may be a different story come spring time. The guy who bought mine hauled here and next year she will be out on the north fork of LI in the Greenport/Orient area. thanks to the sale of the boat the house is getting a new roof in two weeks...waaay overdue.

Roy, have you looked further into a transom walk-thru? I know it was discussed a couple years ago here in the forum, I am sure anything can be done with fiberglass and the right structural changes but yes...sounds expensive.

With regards to teak swim platforms....I left mine natural - good for safety, not too pleasent to look at. Since selling I saw the platform on My Way got a little beat up on the bulkhead during a couple of storms that passed through so guess it doesnt matter now.

Suwaneered in TN restored his previous Cat 280 and fiberglassed/gel-coated with non-skid his swim platform and it looked awesome. He left two sections of the teak exposed in the middle of the platform, like teak inserts. I do not have the pix on my new laptop but I did post them for Bill...they are somewhere in the past hundreds of posts.

Same here Capt Steve. Great seeing you and thanks for coming by. I have been driving 2 hours a day to work at this boat show. really alot of great boats. I love it . Its really is great working the show how ever the weather is very bad. wind and rain. The Happy Hour III is Done !!!!!!!! I just need time to get there to get it . Also pay for it Working the show everyday open to close! I will keep you all posted . Have a great day.

Everytime I look at pics from Suwaneered I get all kinds of crazy ideas. I'd trade my good looks for his talent any day! One seat done, two more to go!! Here is my fly bridge seat, the cockpit seats are next. My basement should be a full blown Chris Craft work shop by mid winter as all the rails and teak are going down there next.

HI Guys: Well I read all your post and enjoy them all.I now have the 38 loaded on the trailer ready for transport to the River!However there will be slight delay due to fact the trailer is very low to the ground and when he came on the lot to get the boathe drug off the bleeders for the air tanks on the trailer which locked up the brakes.UGH We are awaiting some parts and such but should be in the water mid week.Reference the swim platform on the 28 I had. I molded that out of fiberglass and it turned out real well.My 38 is ready going to be a nice boat when I get it all back together with the bridge on it,etc..All ready looking at bigger boats!Ha don't tell my wife as I am not ready to cash in as yet!!You guys are all looking good with the projects.Rick the seat looks great!!See Ya, Bill

Needless to say the guys from Excel Fiberglass did an amazing job. I got 10 compliments the night she went back in the water from people at the marina I haven't even met. Comments like "I can't believe that boat was under all that dirt. " and "Wow! The old owner is gonna want her back when he sees that!"

It wasn't cheap, but it was oh so worth it to have this done. It would have taken me forever to get all this done, and even then I don't think I could have achieved these results.

Wow...she's turned out gorgeous! That was money
well spent! Did you ever decide on a name yet?

Thanks Rick!

We did choose a name for her. We are planning a de-name /
naming ceremony for the 12th. My GF has her birthday on the
13th, so we re having a party after the Prop Club Meeting (the
social club at the marina) to unveil the name. Its a secret until then!
We have a friend who is a graphic artist who is doing the artwork
for us.

This weekend is the Jax Airshow, so we will be watching the Blue
Angels from the river at the end of the runway! We are rafting up
with two other friends and going to grill hot dogs. We can't wait!

WOW NEW BLOOD AND THEY ARE WORKING HARD TO GET THEIR BABIES IN SEAWORTHY SHAPE LIKE THE PICTURES!THEY TELL THE STORY! HAPPY 3 GLAD THE NEW ENGINE IS IN--JIM IN FLA NICE JOB ON THE GLASS-NOW IT'S UP TO YOU TO KEEP IT THAT WAYSHE LOOKS BRAND NEW--RICH P FANTASTIC SEAT JOB BET THAT SAVED A BUNCH OF $$ THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF OUR BOATS WE CAN DO OUR OWN WORK NOTHING BETTER THAN THAT!!--SUWANEERED CAN'T WAIT FOR THE PICS OF YOUR LATEST PROJECT!!AND LONEWOLF LET'S SEE THE PICS YOUR CELL PHONE PICS AREN'T THAT BAD (I HAVE HAD WORSE)ON THE OTHER FRONT SWAMP BUGGY RACES GOT CANCELLED WE ACTUALLY HAD TOO MUCH RAIN HERE FROM THE REMNANTS OF FREAKIN RINA SO TOOK THE SOUND SYSTEM DOWN AND WILL TRY AGAIN ON NV 12/13 BUT I'M NOT BITCHIN RATHER HAVE RAIN THAN ALL THAT SNOW!!HOW WAS IT NAUTI??GET A LOT??

Yes, both the cabin side and just below the rub rail. They just hadn't arrived in time to be put on that day. She has to come out next week anyway for the stern lettering anyway, so he can do both at the same time.

Hello All: Well we got blasted with the heavy snow, abt. 600,000 without power, I made out better her on the coast only abt. 2" of heavy snow which mother nature took care of by Monday. Jim In Fla : OUTSTANDING JOB on the HULL!!!!! I just bought 6 yds. by 54" of Nautolex white vinyl for $40.00 , will use it to rebuild my helm seats, I am going to make the new ones 25" wide insted of the orig. 30" this will give me more space between to open up the path to the cabin . In the rebuild should I use 3/4" or 1/2" marine plywood ??? The orig. seats are trash , will use them as templates, hardware is good to be reused. 2 More Pict. of SEAWOLF in August.

JIMINFLA, beautiful job on the hull !!!!! What did they do with myour nonskid? I am getting a buffer this winter and need Capt. H to put out his magic recipe again he did soem pages back. Know was 3M pads and products. Smile's hull is pretty good as have used an orbital polisher last few years but seeing your results gives me new aspirations.

RickP, the seat is terrific! I do hope to visit your workshop tihs winter and get aquainted.

Sorry to hear you East coast guys got slammed wiht the early snow - could have easily been Wisconsin.

Seawolf, just curious, what is the beam on the 251? Is it 10'9" liek the 280?

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